A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. A speed reduction device such as a gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine.
In such engine architectures, a shaft driven by the turbine section provides an input to the gear assembly. The shaft may be constructed from multiple sections assembled together. Assembly of the various shaft sections may be performed utilizing press fits. A press fit assembly may include heating of one part to allow another part to fit therein. Heating to expand one component is complicated if several components are within a heated region. Non-uniform heating of some portions of a shaft interface can induce unwanted stress on parts, such as bearing assemblies. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop an assembly method that enables expansion by the application of heat without damage to surrounding parts.